Revelation 6:10-11

6:10 They ¹  cried out with a loud voice, ²  “How long, ³  Sovereign Master, ⁴  holy and true, before you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?” 6:11 Each ⁵  of them was given a long white robe and they were told to rest for a little longer, until the full number was reached ⁶  of both their fellow servants ⁷  and their brothers who were going to be killed just as they had been.

Revelation 13:10

13:10 If anyone is meant for captivity,

into captivity he will go.

If anyone is to be killed by the sword, ⁸ 

then by the sword he must be killed.

This ⁹  requires steadfast endurance ¹⁰  and faith from the saints.

Revelation 13:15

13:15 The second beast ¹¹  was empowered ¹²  to give life ¹³  to the image of the first beast ¹⁴  so that it could speak, and could cause all those who did not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

Revelation 17:6-7

17:6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of those who testified to Jesus. ¹⁵  I ¹⁶  was greatly astounded ¹⁷  when I saw her. 17:7 But ¹⁸  the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will interpret ¹⁹  for you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her.

Revelation 18:24

18:24 The ²⁰  blood of the saints and prophets was found in her, ²¹ 

along with the blood ²²  of all those who had been killed on the earth.”

Revelation 19:2

19:2 because his judgments are true and just. ²³ 

For he has judged ²⁴  the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality,

and has avenged the blood of his servants ²⁵  poured out by her own hands!” ²⁶ 

Deuteronomy 32:42-43

32:42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,

and my sword will devour flesh –

the blood of the slaughtered and captured,

the chief ²⁷  of the enemy’s leaders!’”

32:43 Cry out, O nations, with his people,

for he will avenge his servants’ blood;

he will take vengeance against his enemies,

and make atonement for his land and people.

Deuteronomy 32:2

32:2 My teaching will drop like the rain,

my sayings will drip like the dew, ²⁸ 

as rain drops upon the grass,

and showers upon new growth.

Deuteronomy 24:4

24:4 her first husband who divorced her is not permitted to remarry ²⁹  her after she has become ritually impure, for that is offensive to the Lord. ³⁰  You must not bring guilt on the land ³¹  which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

Isaiah 49:26

49:26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh;

they will get drunk on their own blood, as if it were wine. ³² 

Then all humankind ³³  will recognize that

I am the Lord, your deliverer,

your protector, ³⁴  the powerful ruler of Jacob.” ³⁵ 

Isaiah 51:22-23

51:22 This is what your sovereign master, ³⁶  the Lord your God, says:

“Look, I have removed from your hand

the cup of intoxicating wine, ³⁷ 

the goblet full of my anger. ³⁸ 

You will no longer have to drink it.

51:23 I will put it into the hand of your tormentors ³⁹ 

who said to you, ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you.’

You made your back like the ground,

and like the street for those who walked over you.”

Jeremiah 2:30

2:30 “It did no good for me to punish your people.

They did not respond to such correction.

You slaughtered your prophets

like a voracious lion.” ⁴⁰ 

Lamentations 4:13

מ (Mem)

4:13 But it happened ⁴¹  due to the sins of her prophets ⁴² 

and the iniquities of her priests,

who poured out in her midst

the blood of the righteous.

Matthew 7:2

7:2 For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive. ⁴³ 

Matthew 21:35-41

21:35 But the tenants seized his slaves, beat one, ⁴⁴  killed another, and stoned another. 21:36 Again he sent other slaves, more than the first, and they treated them the same way. 21:37 Finally he sent his son to them, ⁴⁵  saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 21:38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and get his inheritance!’ 21:39 So ⁴⁶  they seized him, ⁴⁷  threw him out of the vineyard, ⁴⁸  and killed him. 21:40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 21:41 They said to him, “He will utterly destroy those evil men! Then he will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his portion at the harvest.”

Matthew 23:30-37

23:30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, ⁴⁹  we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 23:31 By saying this you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 23:32 Fill up then the measure of your ancestors! 23:33 You snakes, you offspring of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? ⁵⁰ 

23:34 “For this reason I ⁵¹  am sending you prophets and wise men and experts in the law, ⁵²  some of whom you will kill and crucify, ⁵³  and some you will flog ⁵⁴  in your synagogues ⁵⁵  and pursue from town to town, 23:35 so that on you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, ⁵⁶  whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 23:36 I tell you the truth, ⁵⁷  this generation will be held responsible for all these things! ⁵⁸ 

Judgment on Israel

23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, ⁵⁹  you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! ⁶⁰  How often I have longed ⁶¹  to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but ⁶²  you would have none of it! ⁶³ 

[6:10]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[6:10]  ² tn Grk “voice, saying”; the participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.

[6:10]  ³ tn The expression ἕως πότε (ews pote) was translated “how long.” Cf. BDAG 423 s.v. ἕως 1.b.γ.

[6:10]  ⁴ tn The Greek term here is δεσπότης (despoths; see L&N 37.63).

[6:11]  ⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[6:11]  ⁶ tn Grk “until they had been completed.” The idea of a certain “number” of people is implied by the subject of πληρωθῶσιν (plhrwqwsin).

[6:11]  ⁷ tn Though σύνδουλος (sundoulos) has been translated “fellow servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[13:10]  ⁸ tc Many mss (C 051* 2351 Ï^A pc) read “if anyone will kill with the sword, it is necessary for him to be killed with the sword” (εἴ τις ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀποκτενεῖ, δεῖ αὐτὸν ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀποκτανθῆναι). Other mss (א 1006 1611* 1854 al) are similar except that they read a present tense “kills” (ἀποκτείνει, apokteinei) in this sentence. Both of these variants may be regarded as essentially saying the same thing. On the other hand, codex A reads “if anyone is to be killed by the sword, he is to be killed by the sword” (εἴ τις ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀποκτανθῆναι αὐτὸν ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀποκτανθῆναι). Thus the first two variants convey the idea of retribution, while the last variant, supported by codex A, does not. (There are actually a dozen variants here, evidence that scribes found the original text quite difficult. Only the most important variants are discussed in this note.) The first two variants seem to be in line with Jesus’ comments in Matt 26:52: “everyone who takes up the sword will die by the sword.” The last variant, however, seems to be taking up an idea found in Jer 15:2: “Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.” Though G. B. Caird, Revelation (HNTC), 169-70, gives four arguments in favor of the first reading (i.e., “whoever kills with the sword must with the sword be killed”), the arguments he puts forward can be read equally as well to support the latter alternative. In the end, the reading in codex A seems to be original. The fact that this sentence seems to be in parallel with 10a (which simply focuses on God’s will and suffering passively and is therefore akin to the reading in codex A), and that it most likely gave rise to the others as the most difficult reading, argues for its authenticity.

[13:10]  ⁹ tn On ὧδε (Jwde) here, BDAG 1101 s.v. 2 states: “a ref. to a present event, object, or circumstance, in this case, at this point, on this occasion, under these circumstances…in this case moreover 1 Cor 4:2. ὧδε ἡ σοφία ἐστίν…Rv 13:18; cf. 17:9. ὧδέ ἐστιν ἡ ὑπομονή…13:10; 14:12.”

[13:10]  ¹⁰ tn Or “perseverance.”

[13:15]  ¹¹ tn Grk “it”; the referent (the second beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:15]  ¹² tn Grk “it was given [permitted] to it [the second beast].”

[13:15]  ¹³ tn Grk “breath,” but in context the point is that the image of the first beast is made to come to life and speak.

[13:15]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “of the beast”; the word “first” has been supplied to specify the referent.

[17:6]  ¹⁵ tn Or “of the witnesses to Jesus.” Here the genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou) is taken as an objective genitive; Jesus is the object of their testimony.

[17:6]  ¹⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[17:6]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “I marveled a great marvel” (an idiom for great astonishment).

[17:7]  ¹⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[17:7]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “I will tell you,” but since what follows is the angel’s interpretation of the vision, “interpret for you” is the preferred translation here.

[18:24]  ²⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[18:24]  ²¹ tn The shift in pronouns from second to third person corresponds to the Greek text.

[18:24]  ²² tn Grk “and of all.” The phrase “along with the blood” has been repeated from the previous clause for stylistic reasons.

[19:2]  ²³ tn Compare the similar phrase in Rev 16:7.

[19:2]  ²⁴ tn Or “has punished.” See BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.b.α, describing the OT background which involves both the vindication of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty.

[19:2]  ²⁵ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[19:2]  ²⁶ tn Grk “from her hand” (referring to her responsibility in causing the blood of God’s followers to be shed).

[32:42]  ²⁷ tn Or “head” (the same Hebrew word can mean “head” in the sense of “leader, chieftain” or “head” in the sense of body part).

[32:2]  ²⁸ tn Or “mist,” “light drizzle.” In some contexts the term appears to refer to light rain, rather than dew.

[24:4]  ²⁹ tn Heb “to return to take her to be his wife.”

[24:4]  ³⁰ sn The issue here is not divorce and its grounds per se but prohibition of remarriage to a mate whom one has previously divorced.

[24:4]  ³¹ tn Heb “cause the land to sin” (so KJV, ASV).

[49:26]  ³² sn Verse 26a depicts siege warfare and bloody defeat. The besieged enemy will be so starved they will their own flesh. The bloodstained bodies lying on the blood-soaked battle site will look as if they collapsed in drunkenness.

[49:26]  ³³ tn Heb “flesh” (so KJV, NASB).

[49:26]  ³⁴ tn Heb “your redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.

[49:26]  ³⁵ tn Heb “the powerful [one] of Jacob.” See 1:24.

[51:22]  ³⁶ tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[51:22]  ³⁷ tn Heb “the cup of [= that causes] staggering” (so ASV, NAB, NRSV); NASB “the cup of reeling.”

[51:22]  ³⁸ tn Heb “the goblet of the cup of my anger.”

[51:23]  ³⁹ tn That is, to make them drink it.

[2:30]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “Your sword devoured your prophets like a destroying lion.” However, the reference to the sword in this and many similar idioms is merely idiomatic for death by violent means.

[4:13]  ⁴¹ tn These words do not appear in the Hebrew, but are supplied to make sense of the line. The introductory causal preposition מִן (min) (“because”) indicates that this phrase – or something like it – is implied through elision.

[4:13]  ⁴² tn There is no main verb in the verse; it is an extended prepositional phrase. One must either assume a verbal idea such as “But it happened due to…” or connect it to the following verses, which themselves are quite difficult. The former option was employed in the present translation.

[7:2]  ⁴³ tn Grk “by [the measure] with which you measure it will be measured to you.”

[21:35]  ⁴⁴ sn The image of the tenants mistreating the owner’s slaves pictures the nation’s rejection of the prophets and their message.

[21:37]  ⁴⁵ sn The owner’s decision to send his son represents God sending Jesus.

[21:39]  ⁴⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the tenants’ decision to kill the son in v. 38.

[21:39]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “seizing him.” The participle λαβόντες (labontes) has been translated as attendant circumstance.

[21:39]  ⁴⁸ sn Throwing the heir out of the vineyard pictures Jesus’ death outside of Jerusalem.

[23:30]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “fathers” (so also in v. 32).

[23:33]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “the judgment of Gehenna.”

[23:34]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “behold I am sending.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[23:34]  ⁵² tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

[23:34]  ⁵³ sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.

[23:34]  ⁵⁴ tn BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “of flogging as a punishment decreed by the synagogue (Dt 25:2f; s. the Mishna Tractate Sanhedrin-Makkoth, edited w. notes by SKrauss ’33) w. acc. of pers. Mt 10:17; 23:34.”

[23:34]  ⁵⁵ sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.

[23:35]  ⁵⁶ sn Spelling of this name (Βαραχίου, Baraciou) varies among the English versions: “Barachiah” (RSV, NRSV); “Berechiah” (NASB); “Berachiah” (NIV).

[23:36]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[23:36]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “all these things will come on this generation.”

[23:37]  ⁵⁹ sn The double use of the city’s name betrays intense emotion.

[23:37]  ⁶⁰ tn Although the opening address (“Jerusalem, Jerusalem”) is direct (second person), the remainder of this sentence in the Greek text is third person (“who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her”). The following sentences then revert to second person (“your… you”), so to keep all this consistent in English, the third person pronouns in the present verse were translated as second person (“you who kill… sent to you”).

[23:37]  ⁶¹ sn How often I have longed to gather your children. Jesus, like a lamenting prophet, speaks for God here, who longed to care tenderly for Israel and protect her.

[23:37]  ⁶² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[23:37]  ⁶³ tn Grk “you were not willing.”